Child of Zoroark
by Wolfheart75
Summary: Idea from Darkfoxkit's Child of Mew, so I give her credit for that early on. What would have happened if Ash's parents vanished without a trace, and a mysterious Zoroark takes him in as her child? She teaches him how to deceiving and clever, but is this the true Ash? His true colors will be shown as he begins his journey with his faithful Pikachu at his side. No current shippings.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

Here it is. The cleaned-up version of Chapter one. Thank you, MyNoseAgreesWithMe, for assisting me in DocX and editing this chapter. Credit to Darkfoxkit for ideas. Ash will be receiving the same Pokémon as in his anime-journey, but I have several plans for evolution and some extra Pokémon ;)

* * *

The young boy felt tears well up in his chocolate-brown eyes as he waited by the window, as he had been for hours. His parents had departed, promising to return in a few minutes. The tiny three year old had begun to cry much earlier, but now it was utter despair and the sense of abandonment that caused his weeping. Though he still hoped for his parents' arrival, for the soothing touch of his mother as she gently inquired why he had been crying, he somehow knew it would never come. Ash would never know why - he just...did. Hugging a petite, ragged Eevee doll to his chest, the tiny boy continued to wait, staring out through the clear glass of the windowpane as he sat on the arm of the recliner.

_Dad won't be happy if he sees me sitting here._ The thought just grazed his mindscape, causing him to wince as more salty droplets trickled down his cheeks, bypassing the zig-zag marks that scored his face. He wished that they would just return, but he felt his faith in them fading fast, and soon found himself sliding into the cushion of the chair, curling up against the soft fabric. He still clutched the Eevee plushie to his ribcage as though it were the most important thing in the world. His lids slipping shut over his round eyes, he decended into a light doze, determined to stay at least partially awake in case his parents did return.

Suddenly, the door swung recklessly open, the wood clashing against the cream dry wall. Ash jolted awake, his fingers clenching the poor doll's neck as he trembled furiously with terror. It wasn't the quiet, delicate footsteps of his mother that greeted him, nor was it the heavy, sluggish steps of his father. These steps sounded light and swift, and almost as though someone was dragging their toenails along the wood as they walked. Shuddering, the boy bravely cried out, "Who's there?"

"Hwokrah." a growling voice responded. Definitely not human, but Ash didn't recognize it to be a Pokemon that he knew. The footsteps drew closer to him, until a massive, crimson clawed paw came into view, stretching before his eyesight. The boy's deep, dark amber pools stretched as wide as a full moon, but he did not make a sound, even as the large head of a canine came into view.

A scarlet-hued mane slightly shagged over its dark gray forehead, ice blue slits gazing with a strange fondness towards him. Its long, pointed muzzle slightly twitched, the edges of its lengthy lips curling upwards in a friendly-yet-mischievous smirk. "Roarkuh?" Ash released a low whimper as it spoke, and the massive Pokemon stroked his raven, messy hair gingerly with its delicate forepaw. Amazingly, the next sentence the Pokemon stated was entirely human.

"_Do not worry, small child. I will not bring you harm_." The tongue it spoke in was deep, but highly feminine, and it calmed the three year old a bit. The boy still continued to tremble furiously, squeezing his toy very tightly. "_Relax_," she murmured, sympathy filling her eyes, before releasing a deep sigh. "_I apologize, little one. But your Meemas will not be returning_." This confused Ash, and, despite his fear, he tilted his head inquiringly.

"What's my 'Meemas'?"

"_...Your parents._" His dark brown orbs widened, and he vigorously shook his head in disbelief.

"No! You're lying! Y-you're just a weird, liar-Pokemon!" He wailed, tears beginning to trickle down his face. The canine, bipedal Pokemon locked eyes with the young child.

"_I speak the truth. And, furthermore, I am not 'a weird liar-Pokemon'. I am a Zoroark_." Ash had no idea what in the world a Zoroark was, for he only had some of the Kanto Pokemon memorized, but at the moment, he didn't care. "_Trust me,_" she whispered, continuing to use her large, crimson talons to caress him as nonthreateningly as possible. "_I'll take good care of you, I promise."_

Fury filled the small boy, and he shouted in a trembling tone, "No! You're not Mama! Or Dadda!" The Zoroark hesitated, cocking its massive head so that the red bangs flopped in front of its cyan slits.

"_You're correct. I am not your 'Mama' or 'Dadda'. No, I will be your Meema_."

* * *

~.:Two Years Later:.~

* * *

Ash had no memory of that fateful day, when his parents had mysteriously vanished and the Zoroark had claimed him as her child. No, he couldn't even remember his former parents' faces. So, he simply remained with his new Meema, who transformed into 'Delia' when anyone entered the house [Totally copying Darkfoxkit, sorry ;3;]. She taught him the arts of decieving and of stealth, training him to be swift and cunning, almost as much as a young Zorua.

He still had plenty to learn though, and was quite eager to do so. He was even beginning to understand the language of Pokemon! Zoroark was very proud of her 'son'. At the moment, he was playing with a tiny Meowth who often visited him, playing a game of Tag. The Meowth released a high-pitched mewl, dropping into a mock battle stance and creeping towards Ash. He pounced on the boy, who released a surprised squeal and tumbled forward, laughing and giggling all the while and clutching his little Eevee doll.

She turned her pointed muzzle towards the road, feeling deeply troubled as she sifted through the pantry. It didn't seem right, keeping what had happened to Ash's parents away from him. Zoroark clearly remembered the first few weeks with the small boy. A lot of crying and comforting had occured, and the only way he would have fallen asleep was if she sang a soft lullaby to him.

She shook her head to clear the memories, inhaling deeply before changing her form to that of 'Delia'. She had errands to run, and wished to retrieve something special for her child. Exiting the house, she approached Ash and the Meowth, who both grinned cheerfully up at her.

"Hi, Meema!" He exclaimed.

"**Hello, Zoroark**," the Meowth mewed. Zoroark lifted her now-human hand in a departing wave.

"_I have a few errands to run. I'll be back in a little while. Be good, alright?"_

"Of course!" The two replied. Satisfied, the Zoroark walked off, heading towards a nearby market. She was expecting a package - a small gift for her 'little Zorua' (which she refers to Ash as sometimes). She arrived in a hustle, swiftly grabbing a carton of milk and some pancake batter for tomorrow's breakfast.

After she purchased the few goods, she departed, immediately heading towards the post office. As predicted, the miniscule, cardboard box sat on the counter, untouched by curious hands. She signed several forms, before bringing the package along, smirking happily to herself. Her son would be overjoyed, she just knew it! 'Delia' made her entrance, transforming into her original appearance the moment she closed the door behind her, promptly setting the box down on the table. The Zoroark shoved the milk in the fridge and the batter in the cabinet, before calling for Ash. "_Ash! I've got a surprise for you_!"

That caught the child's attention. Scooping up his Eevee doll and bidding farewell to the Meowth, he dashed off towards his house, flinging open the door and bounding excitedly over. He immediately took notice of the package, prodding it with a curious finger. "What's in it?" He demanded, casting his quizzical, dark amber gaze upon Zoroark.

"_Why don't you see for yourself?_" With that, he tore at the tape upon the flaps (with some assistance from Zoroark's long, deadly claws) and swung it open. His eyes widened, and he nearly released a squeal of joy as he viewed what was inside. It was a hat, too large for him at the moment, with a white front and red rear and bill. The green symbol of the Pokemon League proudly presented itself at the front. "_You hear about that contest? Well, guess who won the hat for ya?"_

Zoroark grinned even larger than before, feeling Ash's arms wrap around her neck. "Thank you so much, Meema! When I start my journey, I'll wear this hat wherever I go!"

* * *

~.:Five Years Later:.~

* * *

Ash withdrew a deep breath as he slipped his hat over his head. This was it. He snatched up his bright green backpack, draping it over his shoulders and adjusting the straps. He would finally begin his journey. Maybe, after a lonely childhood with only Zoroark and Pokemon, he'd make some actual human friends. He fixed his blue vest, toying with the gold trim. Today was the day he would recieve his starter Pokemon, and begin traveling to compete in the League. Finally all set, the ten-year old strode down the stairs, and was immediately intercepted by his Meema.

Startled slightly, Ash arched a brow and avoided her piercing, teal gaze. "Hello, Meema."

She wrapped her gray-furred forelimbs around her 'son', growling, "_Take care. And make some friends along the way_."

"I will, Meema."

"_Human friends_," she clarified. Ash didn't reply to that, simply kissing her on the cheek before darting around her and making for the door.

"Love ya! Call ya when I reach Viridian!" He thrust the wooden door open, sprinting to the outdoors and heading straight for Professor Oak's. His Pokemon encyclopedia in his bag slightly weighed him down, but he truly did not care, feeling a tingle in his chest. His journey would soon be beginning!

He scaled the front porch of Oak's house, knocking heavily on the door and ceasing his panting. Oak answered the door, smiling. "Ah, good morning, Ash. A bit early, aren't you?" Ash nodded breathlessly, eager to recieve his Pokemon, Pokeballs, and Pokedex. The Professor followed the boy inside, waving him over to a small, circular table. Three pokeballs lay in the center, each one with an engraving of whatever type they belonged to - Charmander would be fire, Squirtle would be water, and Bulbasaur would be grass.

Ash already knew all this, for he had read the Trainer's Guide three times over. But another Pokeball sitting on a nearby counter caught his eye. Curiously enough, it had a lightning bolt engraved on its crimson half.

"Well, my boy, what will it be?"

The child felt a flare of indifference at Oak's reference towards him, but made no comment on it. Hesitating at first, Ash quietly inquired, "What's in that one?" He used a hand to indicate the lightning Pokeball.

Oak's brow furrowed and he frowned. "Oh, that one? You won't want that one, Ash. That was a Pokemon who had been chewing on electrical wires, so I captured it just yesterday. It is not tamed and highly dislikes humans."

"Let me have a look."

"Ash-"

"Please?" he added politely. Oak sighed.

"Very well. Don't come crying to me, though." With that, the Professor approached the table with the lightning ball, handing it to Ash. He pressed the button in the center, releasing a defiant-looking Pikachu who glared at him with a gaze sharp as flint. Ash lowered himself to his knees, reaching a hand out towards the aggressive Pokemon, who growled and sparked warningly.

"Hi there," he greeted in a soft, soothing tone that reminded him of Meema's lullaby. The Pikachu flashed its teeth at the boy.

"**Stay back, or I'll give you the shock of a lifetime**!" Its yellow fur bristling hostilely, it continued to glower at Ash.

"I don't want to hurt you." Ash murmured, taking mind not to make a direct reply, as Oak was right there. Ash reached forward, and the Pikachu lunged for him, grasping his hand and sending a strong electrical current through the boy's body. He winced, but did not cry out, as the Pikachu expected. He took the brief shock, as the Mouse Pokemon froze in surprise after a moment of the electrocution.

Ash did not shout or make violent gestures at him as other humans had when receiving similar treatment. He simply smiled kindly at the confused Pikachu, using this moment of contact to scratch the Pokeon behind the ear. "I do not wish to hurt you," he repeated softly, before glancing up at Professor Oak and nodding. "Yes, sir, if you may, I'll take this one here."

Oak pondered this for a moment before shrugging. "Why, certainly. I don't see why not." He then walked over to a shelf, removing 5 shrunken Pokeballs and a Pokedex before passing them to Ash. "Here you are. These Pokeballs will enable you to capture Pokemon, and the Pokedex will give you information on every Pokemon in the Kanto region."

_Only Kanto?_ Ash thought, feeling slightly disappointed - but that was the reason why, after all, he had prepared himself with his Pokemon encyclopedia. He clipped the empty Pokeballs to his belt, shoving his newly received Pokedex in his vest pocket. "Thank you, sir."

With that, the boy glanced towards the lightning-marked Pokeball in his hands, pointing it towards Pikachu and preparing to withdraw it. He hesitated as flicker of fear crossed the electric rodent's coal black, beady orbs.

"**Please, not that stupid ball!"** it begged in its language, feeling unbearably hopeless and terrified, knowing that the human it attempted to communicate with wouldn't understand, despite his show of kindness and patience.

Ash, hearing the Pikachu's plea, paused, before announcing in an even tone, "I think I'll keep you out of your Pokeball for a bit, to get to know you." He winked at the relieved and amazed Pokemon, before nodding at Oak. "Well... Goodbye."

The Professor nodded, gesturing towards the door. "Good luck on your journey!"

With that, Ash walked out the door, Pikachu bounding after him.


	2. Chapter 2: Pikachu Problems

May not be posting next chapter for a little while, sorry.

* * *

The rounded Pikachu walked alongside the young boy, laughing to himself,"**Wow, that was almost like you understood me!**"

Ash casted it a questioning glance, his head tilted,"But... I did understand you. What's so weird about that?"

Pikachu's jaw dropped, and it froze in its continuous gait. It casted its darkened gaze towards the boy, exclaiming in a high-pitched squeak,"**Humans don't speak Pokemon! Only Pokemon speak Pokemon!**"

He shrugged his shoulders, and the Mouse Pokemon scrabbled up Ash's pantleg, mounting his shoulder and thoroughly sniffing him.

"**You smell like a Pokemon**," It commented suspiciously, "**How do I know you're not a Ditto or something?**"

Arching a brow, Ash glanced in its direction, narrowing his dark amber orbs,"Do I smell like a Ditto?"

**"...Well, no...**" Pikachu admitted, springing back onto the earth and glaring at the boy, "**But there's something weird about you.**"

Ash smirked. He could have a little fun with this, but he'd tell the electric rodent of his Meema later on,"Come on. Let's head to Route 1."

Walking along the road, the novice Trainer and reluctant Pokemon headed towards a small clearing, with a tall, proud oak reaching its arms towards the sky. Ash halted, frowning in the slightest. There was little brush in this meadow, with only short, springy grass and several patches of greedy weeds as cover. Not even many trees were in the area, though someone with a careful eye could spot their green-blue shapes off in the distance. He sighed and shook his head, predicting the response he would get from Pikachu once he demanded the question.

"Why don't you like me?"

Pikachu turned his stygian nose up to the boy, sniffing contemptly, but not responding immediatly.

"Come on; Just open your mouth and tell me what's wrong!" Ash pleaded, wishing to improve his flaws to befriend his starter. Remaining stubborn, the rodent opened his mouth wide and directed his face towards Ash, who snorted and exclaimed.

"Unless your issue with me involves your whole bad-breath situation, you could actually tell me." With that, the Pikachu growled irritably and flashed its electricity as a warning, and the raven-haired boy, taking the hint, scooted away a bit nervously.

"Are you going to help me capture Pokemon, or just sit there and do nothing?"

This riled up the Mouse Pokemon,"**Hmm. Let me think about it. No way! I would rather face an angry Charizard than help you capture my brethren.**" With that, it stuck its tongue out at Ash before darting towards the lone oak, scaling to a low branch just out of Ash's reach. Though Ash knew he could climb the large tree with ease, he simply called out.

"Fine, then. Besides, I already have plans for my second Pokemon- A Pokemon that will actually help me out!" Ash called out irritably, for he wished it hadn't had to come to this. He had been hoping to allow his childhood companion to remain free and wild, but at this rate, he had no choice.

"Hey, Felix! Ya out there?" He cried, listening to await a response. Pikachu observed with little interest, intently grooming his long, jagged tail instead. After a length of time, a replying mew just barely grazed Ash's eardrum, and he whirled around to notice a familiar Meowth approaching.

"**Sorry... I'm... Late...**" The Meowth panted as he screeched to a halt, gazing at the new Trainer with a proud gleam in his golden eyes.

"It's fine,"Ash reassured, scratching the Cat Pokemon behind the ear, before serious expression crossed his face,"You sure you're okay with this, Felix?"

Felix nodded eagerly, meowing,"**I wouldn't rather be with any other Trainer, Ash!**"

With a brisk dip of his head, the boy unclipped an empty Pokeball from his belt, tapping it gently upon the Meowth's charm. It vaporized into thousands of crimson particles, beaming directly into the colorful sphere within Ash's hand. It didn't even wriggle once before clicking loudly, signifying an easy capture.

Pikachu stiffened at the sound, glaring at the Trainer,"**What?! How could you have possibly caught another Pokemon without my help?!**" Its beady eyes glimmered with aggravation.

"He's a friend of mine. I called him Felix."

At this, the Mouse Pokemon pouted, its long, slender ears drooping,"**That's not fair. I don't get a cool name?"**

Ash shook his head with a sigh,"Fine. What do you want to be called?"

"**You come up with something; You're the Trainer!"**

With an irritated grumble, the boy tugged the Pokedex from his vest pocket, scanning Pikachu.

_"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokemon. When several of these Pokemon gather, their electricity could build and cause lightning storms. This Pikachu's current level is 5. He knows Growl, Thundershock, and Tail Whip. His nature is Sassy, and his ability is Static."_

Ash pondered this for a moment, using this practical information to come up with a title that the Pokemon could claim with dignity.

"How about..."

* * *

Sorry for this really short chapter. Writer's block sucks, and I've been distracted with Pokémon X for the past few days.


	3. Chapter 3: A Spark of Friendship

I'm sorry for the delay ;~; Here's chapter three. I don't own Pokémon.

* * *

**"ChuChu?! You want to call me ChuChu?!"** The Pikachu upon the tree branch screeched in outrage, crimson cheek pouches flaring perilously, "I should shock you for that!"

"What? I think it's adorable," Ash responded coolly, his dark brown orbs glinting with mischief.

**"...I may be cute, but I'm tough!"** The electrical rodent puffed his chest forward, lifting his chin with pride.

The young boy arched a brow, casting a glance towards the Mouse Pokemon's distended belly, which seemed to state otherwise.

**"Believe me!"** He cried, springing down from the oak and landing quite clumsily, "Besides, I want to be called something cool, like Thunder, or Bolt!"

"Thunder or Bolt?" Ash echoed, tilting his head, "I kind of like Bolt. How about that?"

Though the Pikachu did not wish to agree with the novice Trainer, he growled a response, **"Fine. But I'm still not helping you catch other Pokemon!"**

"Okay. I'll just use Felix." He fingered the Pokeball attached to his belt, unclipping it and tossing it in the air, "Whatever."

Despite his general dislike towards people in general, this caused a flare of defiance to spark within Bolt as the Meowth was released, and he felt as though electrocuting Ash would be the best solution. So, he did so. With a surprised yelp, the boy leaped away, glaring at him coldly.

"So, I can tell you don't like me very much."

**"What about it?"** The Pikachu chittered a bit too cheerfully, smoothing down a long, slender ear gingerly with a miniscule forepaw.

"You'd better get used to me. Because you're stuck with me," Ash smirked, before turning towards a pitiful clump of tall grass. He nodded towards Felix, pointing towards the tiny bush.

"Over there should be alright." The Meowth flicked a tail, stalking forward and twitching its stygian nose. Suddenly, a Spearow darted from the vegetation, unleashing a Peck attack on Felix, who hissed softly as the beak created contact with his charm.

Reacting instantaneously, Ash called out, "Quick! Use Fury Swipes!"

Obediently, the Cat Pokemon scored his lengthy, needle-like talons several times down the Spearow's facial features, spitting harshly as he did so. The Sparrow Pokemon released a sharp, ear-piercing shriek, fluttering its wings in a desperate attempt to take flight.

Noticing the opportunity, the boy ripped an empty Pokeball from his belt, an excited yell escaping him as he flung the crimson-and-ivory sphere, "Go, Pokeball!"

The Spearow attempted to deflect the ball with a wing, but this simply set the device off, dissolving it within the Pokeball and allowing the object to succumb to gravity. It shook once. Then twice. The Spearow broke loose, releasing a noisy, triumphant screech as it did so. Before long, the leaves of the single oak tree stirred, and a massive flock of the bad-tempered Pokemon emerged from the canopy, all squawking with agitation and hostility.

Ash's stark amber pools stretched wide with alarm, and he returned Felix to his Pokeball,"Felix, return!" He swung his gaze icily upon the Spearow, snarling, "This isn't over!"

A pained shriek caught his attention, and Ash whirled around to see Bolt surrounded by Spearow. Despite the continuous Thundershocks being released upon them, the Sparrow Pokemon kept attacking.

"No!" The boy cried, lunging forward and swatting at the Flying-types with a hand whilst guarding his face with the other. He snatched up the Pikachu, hugging him to his chest and darting away. Sprinting as fast as he could, he realized that, despite the type advantage, Bolt had taken a lot of damage.

"Hang in there!" begged the novice Trainer, tightening his grip as many angered, shrill screams resounded behind him, "Oh no, oh no!"

He pushed on, mentally wailing_, Oh Meema, where are you?_

Tears stung the back of his eyes as talons tore at his clothes and flesh, and, using his free hand, he flailed an arm about him in a futile effort to drive them off, "Get away!"

Before he knew it, Ash realized with horror that he was fast approaching a cliff that overlooked a raging river. Sucking in a deep breath, he turned the hat upon his skull backwards, before springing over the edge and plunging into the watery depths. The current furiously tugged him along, and he nearly gasped as a Gyarados swam by.

Churning his feet in a desperate attempt to reach the surface, he felt his lungs burn for oxygen and knew he needed air, quickly. Suddenly, something caught on the collar of his vest, thrusting him upwards. Water shrouded his vision, and, as he broke from the river, he shuddered and drew in as much breath as possible. Yet he was still soaring through the air, a sharp grunt escaping him as he thudded the earth. Ash exploded into a coughing fit, unaware of the bad-tempered girl bounding over to him.

"Are you okay?" She questioned, focusing more on the injured Pikachu than the half-drowned boy. Taking notice of the nearby fishing rod, Ash realized he must of caught on her hook as he drifted by.

"Just fine," He retorted in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Not you!" The girl spat, "The Pokemon! Is it still breathing?"

With an exasperated sigh, Ash nodded and replied a bit coldly, "Yes, he is."

"Well, don't just sit there! Get it to a Pokemon Center!" She snapped harshly.

The Trainer, having no idea where his current whereabouts were, scrabbled to his feet before demanding, "Where is the nearest Center?"

Appearing to be quite annoyed, the girl pointed towards a nearby path where a bike also lay, "That way."

Ash was just about to sarcastically thank her, when a sudden chorus of caws echoed from somewhere in the distance. Much to his despair, the Spearow had found out his location, and the boy knew if he was going to escape alive he would have to take drastic measures.

Not hesitating even a moment, Ash lunged for her bicycle, mounting the seat and gingerly placing Bolt into the basket, "I'm borrowing this!"

Without another word, he hastily pushed against the pedals and rode off, snickering softly as the girl hollered, enraged, behind him, "Hey! That's my bike!"

A yelp of agony escaped him as the bird Pokemon caught up with him, pecking and clawing vigorously at his shoulders and hair. He did his best to ignore them, knowing that there were more important matters than a few scratches.

Shutting his eyes tightly so they didn't get torn at, the bike teetered as he struggled to steer and to protect both himself and the Pikachu simultaneously. Thunder boomed dangerously in the distance, and Ash was oblivious to the building storm clouds and the light drizzle beginning. Time seemed to slow down as the bicycle left the earth, hovering airborne for just a moment before crashing down. Ash gasped as he was flung from the seat, the breath driven from his body as he slammed against the hard terrain. Trembling furiously from the shock of the impact, the boy lifted his head, blinking his vision clear. Bolt lay on his side, his dark brown orbs barely open as he gazed upon Ash with a confused appearance.

Struggling to heft himself upright, the boy crawled forward, tenderly resting his hand upon the Pikachu's flank and murmuring miserably, "I'm so sorry. I... I let you down." His eyesight blurred as his amber pools watered, and he rapidly fluttered his lids to push the tears back, "Just... Run away. I'll deal with this."

Heaving himself shakily to his feet, Ash spread his arms, calling out to the hovering flock of Spearow, "Listen! You have no idea what you're up against! My name is Ash Ketchum from the town of Pallet, the child of Zoroark and future Pokemon Master!"

Inhaling deeply and mustering the majority of his courage, the boy proudly cried, "Come at me!" The Spearow, feeling victorious with the finding of their prey, dive-bombed him, releasing their exhilaration through shrill bellows.

_That... That boy,_ Bolt thought, slightly supporting himself with his forelimbs, _He's doing all of this for me... After all I did to him... I've got to make this right..._

The Pikachu lifted himself to his paws, springing forward and mounting the boy's shoulder. He leaped off of Ash, just as a jagged shaft of lightning crashed from the heavens and surrounded his miniscule bodice.

**"Chuuu!"** He cried, the gained electricity scattering off of him and striking all around uncontrollably just as Ash fell to the earth.

* * *

So, how's that? Reviews appreciated!


	4. Author's Note

Sorry you guys, for not updating. I've been having family issues, and I don't know when I'll be back. I'll delete this chapter after the next update. 


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